First batch of Pinoy athletes off to Dakar for Youth Olympic Games

MANILA — The first batch of athletes from the Philippines is now on their way to the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, having arrived in Istanbul early morning on Thursday after a 13-hour flight from Manila.

Swimmers Jamesray Michael Ajido and Riannah Chantelle Coleman and coaches Jensen Halili and Ramil Ilustre and wushu artist Angel Polo and Chinese coach Li Jianfang were on to an eight-hour layover before boarding a flight to Dakar that will take close to nine hours.

Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham Tolentino and secretary-general Atty. Wharton Chan and chef de mission Rocky Samsom will be at the YOG Athletes Village to welcome the athletes and coaches.

Ajido and Coleman will be the flag-bearers for Team Philippines in Saturday’s Opening Ceremony, but they won’t complete the festivities in order to have time to rest before Sunday’s heats.

The venue for the opening ceremony, the Abdoulaye Wade Stadium, is just adjacent to the Athletes Village in Diamniadio town — a good 41 kilometers from Dakar.

Flying to Dakar also via Istanbul on Saturday are gymnastics athletes Hillarion Palles III and Tchelcy Mei Maayo and coaches Reyland Capellan and Kazutaka Hakamada.

On November 4, it will be the turn of cycling’s Maritanya Krog and coaches Mark John Lexer Galedo and Marita Lucas and athletics’ Pi Wangkay and Naomi Cesar and coach Jasper Tanhueco.